Apple won’t release iPhone 7 in 2016 – report

If you were hoping your next phone would be the iPhone 7, we’ve got some bad news for you.

Apple is reportedly planning to reserve the ‘iPhone 7’ name for its 2017 smartphone launch. That’s according to reputable leaker and journalist Evan Blass, who says he has received information that this year’s iPhone will not follow the conventional tick-tock launch cycle.

“Apple is holding the name iPhone 7 until next year’s 10th anniversary edition, meaning that the 2016 models will very likely be named using another riff on iPhone 6,” writes Blass.

https://twitter.com/statuses/747438440996737026

Blass’ report lands alongside a separate Wall Street Journal article that claims Apple is only making “subtle changes” to the iPhone for its upcoming September launch. According to the report, the biggest planned change is the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The report continues:

“Apple plans bigger design changes for 2017, the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone. Those changes could include an edge-to-edge organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, screen and eliminating the home button by building the fingerprint sensor into the display, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Apple usually delivers phones on a tick-tock cycle, launching a major upgrade followed by a more iterative ‘-S’ device. However, there’s been lots of speculation that Apple is abandoning the tick-tock pattern for a three-year launch cycle.

What does that mean for the iPhone 8? We’re not entirely sure, but it’s worth bearing in mind that this report is based on rumours and, despite the credible sources, should still be taken with due caution.